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Calendar No. 470. 



G2d Congress, 

*2d Session. 



\ 



SENATE. 



I 



Report 
No. 523. 



CALAVERAS BIGTREE NATIONAL FOREST. 



March 28, 1912.— Ordered to be printed. 



Mr. Smoot, from the Committee on Public Lands, submitted the 

following 

REPORT. 

[To accompany H. R. 12211.] 

The Committee on Public Lands, to which was referred the bill 
(H. R. 12211) to amend the act of February 18, 1909 (35 Stat. L., 626), 
entitled "An act to create the Calaveras Bigtree National Forest, and 
for other purposes," beg leave to report the bill back to the Senate 
with the recommendation that it do pass. 

The report of the House Committee on the Public Lands on this bill 
is as follows: 

[House Report No. 397, Sixty-second Congress, second session.] 

The Committee on the Public Lands, to whom was referred the 
bill (H. R. 12211) to amend the act of February 18, 1909 (35 Stat., 
p. 626), entitled "An act creating the Calaveras Bigtree National 
Forest, and for other purposes," having had the same under consid- 
eration, report it back with the unanimous recommendation that it 
do pass with the following amendments: 

Page 2, line 5, strike out the letter "a" and insert "the actual." 

Page 2, line 5, after the word "value," add the following words, 
viz, "in lands and stumpage." 

Page 2, line 6, after the word "lands," add the following words, 
viz, "and stumpage." 

Page 2, line 7, after the word "lands," change the period to a 
semicolon, and then strike out all after the word "lands," line 7, and 
all of lines 8, 9, 10, and the word "part" in line 11, same page. 

The bill, H. R. 12211, strikes out of the act of February 18, 1909 
(35 Stat., p. 626), the following language: 

or all of three ways. They may be given the right to file with the Secretary of the 
Interior, within sixty days after any such conveyance, selections for an equal area 
of surveyed, unreserved, unappropriated, nonmineral lands, which, if found subject 
to such lieu selection, and of a value substantially equal to that of the amounts con- 
veyed, may be patented to said owners in lieu of the lands conveyed, and if any 
selection is rejected, other selections may be made under conditions applicable to 
the one rejected — 

And substitutes therefor the following, viz: 

one or both of the following ways: (1) That they may be given the right to file with 
the Secretary of the Interior, within sixty days after such conveyance, selections 
of surveyed, unappropriated nonmineral public lands or of nonmineral national 
forest lands, and if the lands so selected shall be found subject to selection and of 
a value substantially equal to that of the lands conveyed, they may be patented 
to said owners in lieu of the conveyed lands: Provided, however, That in any case 
[where any part of the lands selected is national forest land, the approval of the Secre- 
tary of Agriculture shall first be secured with respect to such part, or (2) — 



2 CALAVERAS BIGTREE NATIONAL FOREST. 

The act of February 18, 1909 (35 U. S. Stat. L., pp. 626-627), is as 
follows : 

Chapter 143.— An act to create the Calaveras Bigtree National Forest, and for other purposes. 

(Page 626.) 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 

2 States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of Agri- 

3 culture, to secure and protect for all time the bigtrees scientifically 

4 known as Sequoia washingtoniana, is hereby empowered, in his discre- 

5 tion, to obtain for the United States the complete title to any or all 

6 of the following-described lands in the State of California: In town- 

7 ship four north, range fifteen east, Mount Diablo meridian, the north- 

8 east quarter of section one; in township four north, range sixteen 

9 east, Mount Diablo meridian, the north half of section six; in town- 

10 ship five north, range fifteen east, Mount Diablo meridian, the south- 

11 west quarter of section fourteen, south half of section fifteen, north 
' 12 half of section twenty-two, northwest quarter of section twenty-three, 

13 and southeast quarter of section thirty-six; and in township five north, 

14 range sixteen east, Mount Diablo meridian, the west half of section 

15 twenty-eight, the east half and southwest quarter of section twenty- 

16 nine, the southeast quarter of section thirty, all of sections thirty- 

(Page 627.) 

1 one, thirty-two, and the northwest quarter of section thirty-three. 

2 And such area or areas, as fast as complete title is acquired, shall be 

3 permanently held by the United States and shall be known as the 

4 Calaveras Bigtree National Forest, and shall be administered and pro- 

5 tected by the Secretary of Agriculture from the funds appropriated 

6 for the administration of national forest land to prolong the exist- 

7 ence, growth, and promote the reproduction of said bigtrees: Pro- 

8 vided, That the owners of land acquired hereunder shall convey to 

9 the United States full title to any of the above-described areas 

10 approved for said national forest by the Secretary of Agriculture, 

11 the completeness of such title to be determined by the Secretary of 

12 the Interior in each case, and shall be reimbursed therefor only in any 

13 or all of the three ways: They may be given the right to file with the Sec- 

14 retary of the Interior, within sixty days after any such conveyance, 

15 selections for an equal area of surveyed, unreserved, unappropriated, 

16 nonmineral public lands which, if found subject to such lieu selection, 

17 and of a value substantially equal to that of the amounts conveyed, 

18 may be patented to said owners in lieu of the land conveyed; and if 

19 any selection is rejected, other selections may be made under the condi- 

20 tions applicable to the one rejected; or the Secretary of Agriculture 

21 may grant to any such conveying owner the right to cut from national 

22 forest land an amount of timber and wood substantially equal to the 

23 amount of timber and wood on the land acquired by the United States 

24 under the provisions of this act: Provided, That nothing contained 

25 in this act snail warrant an appropriation from the Treasury to carry 

26 out the terms of this act. 

27 Approved, February 18, 1909. 

Under the act of February 18, 1909, there was no provision made 
that the selection of the land in exchange could be taken from any 
national forest, whereas the amendment provided for by the pro- 
visions of the bill H. R. 12211 is to permit the selections of "non- 
mineral national forest lands." The approval of the Secretary of 
Agriculture shall first be secured with respect to any of such lands 
before exchange can be made. It having been determined by the 
various departments that there is no one tract of land provided for 
under the act of February 18, 1909, from which selection could be 
made, as it permitted the selection to be made of "surveyed, unappro- 
priated, nonmineral public land" and excluded any selection of "non- 
mineral national forest land." The provisions of the proposed bill 
(H. K. 12211) make the act operative and put it in such shape that its 
provisions can be carried out by the Secretary of the Interior and the 



CALAVERAS BIGTEEE NATIONAL FOREST. 3 

Secretary of Agriculture. The bill was referred to the Secretary of 
Agriculture, who has made favorable report thereon, which report is 
as follows: 

Department of Agriculture, 

Office of the Secretary, 
Washington, January 4, 1912. 
Hon. Joseph T. Robinson, 

Committee on the Public Lands, Bouse of Representatives. 

Dear Mr. Robinson: Your letter of December 19, inclosing a copy of the bill, 
H. R. 12211, to acquire the Calavaras bigtree grove, is received. The Calavaras big- 
tree (Sequoia washingtonia) of California are found in two groves. The larger one 
covers an area of 441.5 acres in sections 28 and 33, T. 5 N., R. 16 E., M. D. M., and 
the smaller grove of 49.5 acres is located about 6 miles distant in sections 14, 15, and 
22, T. 5 N., R. 15 E., same meridian. All of the trees in these two groves are upon land 
held in private ownership. The greater part of them are owned by R. B. 'Whiteside. 
The groves were mapped and cruised during the field season of 1906 by a member of 
the Forest Service and the report was printed during the second session of the Fifty- 
ninth Congress (S. Rept. 6651). 

The act of February 18, 1907 (35 Stat., 626), contained a provision for exchange 
which was unsatisfactory to the present owners of the trees. Under it only unre- 
served Government lands might be exchanged for the tracts supporting the big- 
trees. There are not, however, to be found any unreserved lands of anywhere nearly 
equal value which would offer a fair exchange. In fact, there are few, if any, national 
forest lands having an equal acreage of the same value as the bigtree groves. Further- 
more, the act of 1907 contained no appropriation to pay for locating the areas to be 
offered in exchange. As it is now proposed to amend the act, both of these features 
will be provided for. Lands of equal value without limitation as to acreage may be 
offered and also the $10,000 to be appropriated will cover the cost of locating and 
cruising both the groves and the Government lands. If it is passed, I feel that the 
exchange can be effected in a manner fair to the owners and with ample protection 
to the Government's interests. 

I inclose a copy of my report on the bill (S. 8117) which became the act of Febru- 
ary 18, 1907. The reasons given at that time for acquiring the grove still exist, and 
I therefore recommend that the present bill be given favorable consideration by your 
committee. 

Very sincerely, yours, W. M. Hays, 

Acting Secretary. 

Department of Agriculture, 

Office of the Secretary, 
Washington, January 28, 1907. 

Dear Sir: In accordance with your request made to the Forest Service, I have 
the honor to report upon the propriety of S. 8117, for the creation of the Calaveras 
Bigtree National Forest. 

During the last field season the Forester caused a survey and complete examination 
to be made of the areas in California in which the bigtrees are located. I inclose 
maps and a report on the investigation, in which the location of the Calaveras big- 
tree groves, the ownership of the land especially desirable for a national forest to 
protect and prolong the life of the bigtrees, the number and size of the bigtrees and 
other species found with them, and a liberal estimate of the value of these groves 
have been set forth with care and detail. 

Unless the principal owner of these groves will not accept a reasonable offer, I 
believe it will be possible in one or all of the ways authorized by S. 8117 to procure 
the title to the desired area without a direct appropriation from Congress. The For- 
ester has received a definite suggestion from a citizen of California that it might be pos- 
sible to procure by private subscription money amounting to one-third of the neces- 
sary purchase price. If this can be brought about it ought to be possible, either 
under the lieu selection provision or the stumpage exchange authorization, or both, 
to make up the remaining two-thirds. 

I can not express too strongly my feeling that these great national wonders, famed 
throTighout the world, should become the property of the Nation and be protected 
from intentional or accidental destruction as far as possible. It has taken thousands 
of years to produce many of these trees, and if once they were destroyed no skill or 
expense could bring similar wonders of creation into existence within a time repre- 
sented by the known history of the world. 
Very truly, yours, 

James Wilson, Secretary. 

Hon. George C. Perkins, 

United States Senate. 



4 CALAVERAS BIGTREE NATIONAL FOREST. 

The Secretary of the Interior made the following report on the 
bill: 

Department of the Interior, 
•" Washington, January 17, 1912. 

Hon. Joe T. Robinson, 

Chairman Committee on the Public Lands, 

House of Representatives. 

Sir: I am in receipt with your request for report thereon of copy of H. R. 12211, 
entitled "A bill to amend the act of February eighteenth, nineteen hundred and 
nine (Thirty-fifth Statutes at Large, page six hundred and twenty-six), entitled 'An 
act to create the Calaveras Bigtree National Forest, and for other purposes.' " 

The apparent purpose of the proposed amendment is to permit the selection of non- 
mineral lands within national forests in lieu of lands conveyed to the United States 
under the act of February 18, 1909, supra, in addition to the permission accorded by 
that act for the exchange of surveyed, unappropriated, nonmineral, public lands out- 
side of the national forests; also to make an appropriation for the purpose of carrying 
the provisions of the act into effect. 

The desirability of securing title to the privately owned lands in question contain- 
ing trees known as the Sequoia washingtoniana is apparent, and if it has not been and 
will not be possible to secure their exchange for an equal area of unreserved public 
lands, this department would favor the legislation permitting the exchange for lands 
within the boundaries of the national forests. 

As this department is without information as to the success or nonsuccess of the 
efforts of the Secretary of Agriculture to secure the exchange under the act of Feb- 
ruary 18, 1909, supra, it is suggested that the measure be referred to him for report in 
that particular. If it shall then appear not feasible to secure title to the private 
lands in question through the. preferred exchange for unreserved public lands, this 
department, as above indicated, would recommend the enactment of this measure to 
permit exchange for lands in forests, with the following additions or amendments to 
the bill: 

Line 3, page 2, insert at beginning of line the words "for an equal area"; same 
line, after the word "surveyed " insert the word "unreserved"; page 2, line 7, after 
the word "lands" insert "and if any selection is rejected other selections may be 
made under conditions applicable to the one rejected." 

Very respectfully, Samuel Adams, 

Acting Secretary. 

It will be noted that the bill requires an appropriation of $10,000 to 
carry out its provisions; this appropriation is also recommended by 
the Secretary of Agriculture. Without an appropriation it will be 
impossible for the departments to fully consummate the objects and 
purposes of the bill. 

The following extract from the report made by Senator Perkins on 
this subject, when the act of February 18, 1909, was under considera- 
tion, fully explains the purposes of the original act and the proposed 
amendment by bill (H. K. 12211): 

The purpose of this bill is to secure and protect for all time the bigtrees, scientifi- 
cally known as Sequoia washingtoniana, located in the State of California and which are 
national wonders, famed throughout the world. In view of the fact that it has taken 
thousands of years to produce many of these trees, and if they were once destroyed 
no skill or experience could be found to bring similar wonders into existence within 
a known period of history; it is strongly recommended that the bill for the creation of 
this national forest may be favorably received by the Senate. 

When the act of July 18, 1909, of which the bill H. R. 12211 seeks 
to amend, was under consideration, the recommendation of the Sec- 
retary of Agriculture was presented, as well as a history of the groves 
of bigtrees. The letter of the Secretary of Agriculture under date of 
January 28, 1907, together with the location and extent of the groves 
are more fully set forth in the attached correspondence, which is made 
a part hereof. 



CALAVERAS BIGTEEE NATIONAL FOEEST. O 

Department of Agriculture, Office of the Secretary, 

Washington, January 28, 1907 . 

Dear Sir: In accordance with your request made to the Forest Service, I have the 
honor to report upon the propriety of S. -8117 for the creation of the Calaveras Big- 
tree National Forest. 

During the last field season the Forester caused a survey and complete examina- 
tion to be made of the areas in California in which the bigtrees are located. I inclose 
maps and a report on the investigation, in which the location of the Calaveras big- 
tree groves, the ownership of the land especially desirable for a national forest to 
protect and prolong the life of the bigtrees, the number and size of the bigtrees and 
other species found with them, and a liberal estimate of the value of these groves 
have been set forth 'with care and detail. 

Unless the principal owner of these groves will not accept a reasonable offer, I 
believe it will be possible in one or all of the ways authorized by S. 8117 to procure 
the title to the desired area without a direct appropriation from Congress. The For- 
ester has received a definite suggestion from a citizen of California that it might be 
possible to procure by private subscription money amounting to one-third of the 
necessary purchase price. If this can be brought about it ought to be possible, either 
under the lieu selection provision or the stumpage exchange authorization, or both, 
to make up the remaining two-thirds. 

I can not express too strongly my feeling that these great national wonders, famed 
throughout the world, should become the property of the Nation and be protected 
from intentional or accidental destruction as far as possible. It has taken thousands 
of years to produce many of these trees, and if they were once destroyed no skill or 
expense could bring similar wonders of creation into existence within a time repre- 
sented by the known history of the world. 

Very truly, yours, James Wilson, 

Secretary. 

Hon. George C. Perkins, 

United States Senate. 



Report on Calaveras Groves of Bigtrees, California. 
[By Fred. G. Plummer, civil engineer, Forest Service.] 
LOCATION. 

The larger of the Calaveras groves is known as South Grove, and is situated in sections 
28 to 33, inclusive, in township 5 north, range 16 east, Mount Diablo meridian^ in 
Tuolumne County. It covers an irregular area of 441.5 acres along the narrow 
V-shaped valley of Bigtree Creek, which flows southwesterly into North Fork of 
Stanislaus River. This grove has also been called Stanislaus Grove. 

The North Grove covers portions of sections 14, 15, and 22, in township 5 north, 
range 15 east, Mount Diablo meridian, and has an area of 49.5 acres. It occupies the 
floor of a small basin drained by a tributary of San Antonio Creek, and which is 
part of Calaveras River watershed. 

The groves are only about 6 miles apart, but are geographically separated by a 
secondary divide from Sierra Nevada and by the canyon of North Fork of Stanislaus 
River, which is about 1,000 feet deep. North Grove is made easily accessible by a 
graded wagon road from Angels Camp (22 miles) and from Sonora (38 miles), but from 
this point the journey to South Grove is made by a trail, steep but safe. 

nature of the report. 

The purpose of the survey, the locating of the bigtrees, the estimating of the stand 
of all species, and the subsequent inquiry were to determine the value of the forests. 
The contemplated purchase of the bigtree groves necessarily includes outlying areas 
of mixed forests over sufficient territory to guarantee their protection and proper 
administration if they are to be held by the Federal or State government. 

Mr. Robert Whiteside owns nearly all of the bigtrees in both groves. All of the 
bigtrees were located and measured, and the mixed forests on Mr. Whil^side's land 
were surveyed and estimated. In this report the stand and value of all species will 
be shown segregated, and the results will give the value of lands owned by Mr. White- 
side, the value of additional lands which should be acquired, and also the value of lands 



6 CALAVERAS BIGTREE NATIONAL FOREST. 

owned by Mr. Whiteside near South Grove, which are not essential for the protection 
of the groves. 

The appraisement is liberal. The stumpage values were fixed after careful inquiry, 
correspondence, and consultation of county records of sales. No deduction was 
made on the fact that the timber is now quite inaccessible, although this would be 
considered by a dealer in timberland. Nor was any percentage subtracted from the 
bigtree estimates for the enormous waste— 20 or 25 per cent — which would surely 
attend any logging operations. Deductions were made for all visible defects, but 
beyond this all boles were assumed to be sound, although this may not always be 
the case. The bigtree "Pioneer Cabin" is tunneled for a carriageway, and a serious 
defect is exposed in the heart of the tree, which might not have been suspected from 
the outside appearance. 

The estimate of the timber contained in the groves is therefore believed to be 
somewhat in excess of what they would actually saw out; and the stumpage values 
assigned to the various species are believed to be somewhat larger than would be 
offered by a private person buying the groves as a business venture. 

THE FOREST. 

Although the areas under consideration are small, and the topography is not very 
bold, there are three types of cover, or zones, which are easily distinguished: 

1. Bigtrees (Sequoia washingtoniana) are a valley type, with an altitudinal range 
from 4,G75 to 5,350 feet. They are scattered through a mixed forest of sugar pine 
(Pinus lambertiana), white fir (Abies concolor), and incense cedar (Libocedrus decurrens). 

2. Sugar pine and white fir dominate on the benches and lower slopes. 

3. Yellow pine (Pinus ponderosa) is found along the dry summits and ridges. 

Stray individuals of all species were found in all zones. Even a few isolated big- 
trees were located on a ridge over the divide from the South Grove. Three red firs 
(Bseudotsuga taxifolia) were seen isolated from a higher zone, where they are more 
common. Black oaks are found in small groups, and alders follow the watercourses. 
They are commercially unimportant. 

REPRODUCTION. 

Generally the conifers reproduce rapidly, and in many places the thickets of young 
trees are almost impenetrable. Seedling bigtrees are numerous in South Grove, but 
only in spots where soil and light are favorable. 

UNDERGROWTH. 

In the valleys and on the lower slopes the principal undergrowth is composed of 
the young conifers, but on summits and ridges, where yellow pine is found in its 
typical open stand, there is considerable ceanothus and arctostaphylos. 



A recent ground fire spread over the northwest portion of section 30, near South 
Grove. Although no material damage was done to the merchantable timber, the 
seedlings and saplings were practically destroyed, and the natural restocking has 
suffered a setback. During the life of the present mixed forest there has been no 
widespread conflagration or destruction of the overshading cover. Numerous fires 
have swept through undergrowth and ground cover, charring the butts of trees and 
causing deep fire 6cars where pitch or balsam rendered the boles inflammable. 
Although the bigtrees resist fire wonderfully, these repeated burnings have made 
many of them unsightly and have decreased their volume of merchantable lumber. 

METHOD OF SURVEY. 

The survey of South Grove comprised four propositions: 

1. Random lines were run to connect all section and quarter-section corners, 
checking upon witness trees, and determining the true locations of the area under 
consideration according to Government survey. In the original field notes the mag- 
netic variation was stated as 16^°, but was found to average 17^°. 

2. A meander line was run along the boundary of the bigtree grove, including all 
of the bigtrees excepting six isolated individuals which are located in the vicinity of 
the quarter-section corner between sections 30 and 31. 



CALAVERAS BIGTEEE NATIONAL FOREST. Y 

3. Parallel lines were run north and south, 10 chains apart, for strip measurements 
on the mixed forests. 

4. Base lines were run lengthwise through the bigtree grove, with stations located 
at each 330 feet difference of longitude. From these stations ordinates were run 
north and south, 330 feet apart, to the boundaries of the grove. As each ordinate 
was run, all the bigtrees within 165 feet of the line were measured and tagged to 
prevent omissions or repetitions. 

SCALING. 

In each strip measured, excepting the half strips on the boundaries, all of the trees 
of the mixed forest over 15 inches in diameter, excepting sequoias, were calipered 
to a distance of 66 feet each side of the line, and all the smaller within these limits 
were counted. The result was an accurate estimate of 20 per cent of the entire stand. 
For convenience, the strips were lettered from west to east, A, B, C, etc. (omitting I), 
and numbered from north to south, 1 to 17, inclusive. The diameters of trees were 
calipered 3 feet above the surface of the ground, and volume tables were prepared for 
each species on this basis. 

In estimating the stand in the mixed forests it was found that the amount of mer- 
chantable dead stuff was inconsiderable — a small fraction of 1 per cent — and was 
ignored. 

Each bigtree was measured and its volume computed separately. In each case the 
factors obtained were: The inside diameter at the surface of the ground, the height 
of stump, the inside diameter at the stump height, the height of merchantable bole, 
and the total height of the tree. From these data a diagram was prepared and the 
merchantable part of each tree was divided into 12-foot logs, and the number of 
board feet for each log was taken from Spaulding's Table, which has been legalized 
in California for the scaling of timber. This table gives the number of board feet in 
logs only up to 144 inches in diameter. 

Logs larger than this were assumed to contain four times the volume of a log of 
half the diameter, on the theorem that the volume of logs increase as the squares of 
their diameters. Thus, a 200-inch log would have four times the volume of a log 100 
inches in diameter. Any practical excess in merchantable length was included in 
the top log, which might, therefore, be 14, 16, 18, or 20 feet long. 

At North Grove the same methods were used, excepting that 13.5 per cent of the 
mixed forest was measured instead of 20 per cent, as at South Grove. North Grove 
was examined in December, 1905, in deep snow, and the use of snowshoes was im- 
practicable. For proper estimating 10 per cent is considered accurate. 

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 

The largest fallen tree in South Grove is "Old Goliath," which has a gross volume 
of 127,892 board feet. The largest at North Grove is "Father of the Forest," and 
through its hollow trunk one may ride horseback. 

The largest standing tree in South Grove is "Louis Agassiz," which before being 
hollowed by fires probably had a gross volume of 124,163 board feet. In North Grove 
the "Mother of the Forest" probably had a gross volume of 140,619 board feet. It 
is dead, but standing. 

The taper of the bigtrees varies from 3 to 12 inches for a 12-foot log, and will average 
between 6 and 7 inches. 

The maximum thickness of bark is 24 inches. On all of the bigtrees the bark is 
deeply fissured, and at the butts is fluted. In estimating the inside diameters the 
deduction for bark is necessarily computed from the calipering of average outside 
diameters or such measured circumference as results from stretching a tape around 
the tree. In the latter case the tape describes a series of tangents. Under these 
methods the thickness of bark will average one-twelfth of the outside diameter. 



8 



CALAVERAS BIGTREE NATIONAL FOREST. 



CALAVERAS GROVES OP BIGTREES, CALIFORNIA. 

Table I. — Locations, areas, number of big trees, and stand, exclusive of mixed forest. 





Area. 


Mer- 
chant- 
able 
trees. 


Stand. 


Stand 
per acre. 


Average 

stand 
per tree. 


SOUTH GROVE. 

T. 5N., R. 16 E., M. D. M.: 

Sect ion 28 


Acres. 
44.5 
85.5 
165.5 
143.5 
2.5 

3 441.5 


Number. 
74 
189 
259 
229 
9 


Feet b. m. 
2,161,183 
5,055.783 

i 7,025,686 

5,512,683 

347,899 


Feet b.m. 
48,566 
59, 132 
42, 451 
38, 416 
139, 160 


Feet b. m. 
29, 205 


Section 29 


26,750 


Section 31 


27,126 


Sect ion 32 


24,073 


Section 33 3 


38, 655 






Total 


760 


20,103,234 


45,534 


26, 452 






NORTH GROVE. 

T.5N..K. 15 E., M. D. M.: 

Section 14 2 


1.5 
28.5 
19.5 


4 
60 
38 


140,002 
1,705,212 
1,109,346 


97,333 
59,832 
56,890 


36,500 




28,420 


Section 22 


29, 193 






Total 


49.5 


102 


2, 960, 500 


59,807 


4 29,025 








491.0 


862 


23,063,794 


46, 973 


26,756 





1 Two isolated individuals in section 30 are included. 

1 Not owned by Mr. Whiteside. 

» Not including 6 isolated individuals in sections 30 and 31. 

« Average stand lor 98 trees owned by Mr. Whiteside is 28,720. 



SOUTH CALAVERAS GROVE, CAL. 

Table II. — Estimates of mixed forest, exclusive of the Sequoias (T. 5 M., R. 16 E., 
M. D. M.), by sections and quarter sections (lands owned by Mr. Whiteside). 

[Trees over 15 inches in diameter.] 





Sugar 
pine. 


Yellow 
pine. 


White fir. 


Incense 
cedar. 


Total. 


Average 
per acre. 


Value. 


Sec. 28, SW. i 

Sec. 29: 

NE. J 


Feet B. M. 
2,163,255 

2,844,665 
3,251,510 
2,916,505 
3, 182, 920 


Feet B. M. 
1,251,425 

403,825 

628,518 

2,089,775 

756,862 


Feet B. M. 
1,841,900 

2,969,337 
2,525,836 
2,349,367 
2,628,938 


Feet B. M. 
393, 930 

672, 790 
434, 587 
715,113 
496,450 


Feet B. M. 
5, 650, 510 

6,890,618 
6,840,452 
8, 070, 755 
7,065,170 


Dollars. 
35,310 

43,066 
42,753 
50,442 
44,157 


Dollars. 
6,848 

8,077 


NW. i 


8,406 


SW. i 


9,694 


SE. i 


8,598 






Total 


12, 195, 600 


3,878,980 


10, 473, 475 


2,318,940 


28,866,995 


45,105 








Sec. 30: 

NE. J 


1,202,798 

601,512 

1,193,810 

2, 745, 750 


2, 134, 100 

2,925,288 

1,462,075 

669,887 


1,129,775 
895,400 
951,475 

2,440,075 


601,362 
941,875 
391,863 
599, 600 


5,128,035 
5,424,075 
3,999,223 
6,455,312 


32, 050 
33, 900 
24, 995 
40, 346 


6,992 


NW. i 


6,015 


SW. i 


4,766 


SE. i 


7,696 






Total 


5,863,870 7,191,350 


5,416,725 


2,534,700 


21,006,645 


32,823 








See. 31: 

NE. J 


3,177,677 
2,478,845 
3,099,005 
2,365,815 


1,177,838 
387,237 
652, 150 
545,900 


1,793,600 
2,475,013 
2,402,662 
1,956,938 


698, 488 
474, 237 
547,975 
548, 725 


6,847,593 
5,815,332 
6,761,793 
5,417,377 


42, 797 
36, 346 
42,261 
33,858 


8,382 


NW. i 


6,914 


SW. i 


8,200 


SE. i 


6,462 






Total... 


11,121,332 2,763,125 


8.088.213 


2, 269, 425 


24.842.095 


38,815 






' ' | , <UO,l o 






Sec. 32: 

NE. J 


2,393,420 1,027,638 

3,760,22S j 269,487 
2,733,855 1,169,003 
2,243,825 ] 2,052,902 


1,746,537 
3, 123, 125 
2, 098, 600 
1,822,900 


640,862 
388, 738 
728,812 
731,363 


5,808,457 
7,541,578 
6,724,330 
6,851,050 


36, 303 
47, 135 
42,027 
42,819 


6,942 


NW. J 


9,295 


SW. i 


8,022 


SE. i 


8,120 






Total. . . 


11,131,328 4,519,150 ; S,791,162 


2,483,775 


26,925,415 


42,071 








Grand total 


42,475,385 19,604,030 i 35,211,475 


10,000,770 jl07,291,660 


39,445 


128, 429 



CALAVERAS BIGTREE NATIONAL FOREST. 
CALAVERAS GROVE OP BIGTREES, CALIFORNIA. 

Table III. — Merchantable timber in 10 largest individuals in each grove. 



Survey field book number or name of 
tree. 


Board 
feet. 


Survey field book number or name of 
tree. 


Board 
feet. 


SOUTH GROVE. 

265 ' ' Massachusetts " 


118,241 
108,783 
97, 151 
92,183 
91,841 
91,746 
90,977 
86,811 
85,599 
82, 704 

946,046 
94, 605 


NORTH GROVE. 


105, 464 






72,416 
71,111 


171 


48 "Old Bachelor" . 


678 


21 " Pride of the Forest" . . 


69,886 
65,352 
64,914 
62, 267 


222 "Waterloo" 




405 




108 


44 


538 




65,352 
52,900 
52, 203 


274 




271 "Pennsylvania" 


50 "Mother" 




Total 


Total 


681,685 






68,168 









Table IV. — Bigtrees arranged according to contents of merchantable timber. 



South 
grove. 



All owned 

by Mr. 
Whiteside. 



North grove. 



Owned by 

Mr. 
Whiteside. 



Not owned 

by Mr. 
Whiteside. 



Total. 



Less than 20,000 board feet 

20,000 to 40,000 board feet 

40,000 to 60,000 board feet 

60,000 to 80,000 board feet 

80,000 to 100,000 board feet 

100,000 to 120,000 board feet 

Total 

Worthless, dead, and down 

Total 

Small big trees, poles, saplings, and seedlings ' 

Grand total 



353 
231 
112 
49 
13 
2 



760 
29 



789 
3,462 



105 
1 



106 



391 
271 
127 
57 
13 
3 



862 



898 
3,463 



4,361 



l The small big trees are very limby, but under "Michigan practice" they would yield about 40,000 
board feet of inferior lumber which is not included in the estimate or appraisement. 



SOUTH CALAVERAS GROVE OF BIGTREES, CALIFORNIA. 

Table V. — Bigtrees under 36 inches diameter. 



Diameter 3 feet above ground. 


Number 
of trees. 


Diameter 3 feet above ground. 


Number 
of trees. 




3,356 
56 
1 
2 
2 
9 
1 
3 
4 


28 inches 


1 






8 






2 






4 






2 






11 




Total 






3,462 











10 CALAVERAS BIGTREE NATIONAL FOREST. 

NORTH CALAVERAS GROVE, CAL. 

Estimates on mixed forest, exclusive of the sequoias, in the south half of section 15 and the 
north half of section 22, township 5 north, range 15 east, Mount Diablo meridian. 



Species. 



Sugar pine. . . 
Yellow pine.. 

White fir 

Incense cedar. 



Total. 



Stand. 



Feet b. m. 

4,697,059 

5, 348, 224 

2,084,737 

979, 935 



13, 109, 955 



Note.— In this tract of 040 acres there is a clearing of 25 acres. The timbered area of 615 acres has an 
average stand of 21,317 board feet per acre, exclusive of sequoias. 

SOUTH CALAVERAS GROVE, CAL. 

Appraisement of southwest quarter of section 28 and ell of sections 29 to 32, inclusive, 
owned by Mr. Robert Whiteside. 

Bigtrees, 19,755,335 board feet, at $2 per 1,000 $39, 511 

Sugar pine, 42,475,385 board feet, at $1.50 per 1,000 63, 713 

Yellow pine, 19,604,030 board feet, at $1.25 per 1,000 24, 505 

White fir, 35,211,475 board feet, at $1 per 1,000 35, 211 

Incense cedar, 10,000,770 board feet, at 50 cents per 1,000 5, 000 

Total 167,940 

Average value per acre 51. 74 

NORTH CALAVERAS GROVE, CALIFORNIA. 

Appraisement of south half of section 15 and north half of section 22, owned by Mr. Robert 

Whiteside. 

Bigtrees, 2,814,558 board feet, at $2 per 1,000 $5, 629. 12 

Sugar pine, 4,697,059 board feet, at $1.50 per 1,000 7, 045. 59 

Yellow pine, 5,348,224 board feet, at $1.25 per 1,000 6, 685. 28 

White fir, 2,084,737 board feet, at $1 per 1,000 2,084.74 

Incense cedar, 979,935 board feet, at 50 cents per 1,000 489. 97 

Total for timber 21, 934. 70 

In addition to the above, the cleared and cultivated area has a value, either 
to the Government or any other purchaser, as a necessary pasturage for 
horses, of 875. 00 

Total value 22, 809. 70 

Average value per acre 35. 64 

Summary for land owned by Mr. Robert Whiteside. 

At South Grove $167, 940 

At North Grove 22, 809 



Total 190, 749 



CALAVERAS BIGTEEE NATIONAL FOKEST. 11 

RECOMMENDATION. 

If the Calaveras groves are to be preserved as a public park,Jthe'areas which should 
be acquired do not include all the lands owned by Mr. Whiteside in the vicinity and 
include some not owned by him. 

These are as follows: 

For South Grove. 

InT. 5N., R. 16 E., M. D. M.: Acres. 

Sec. 28, W. i 320 

Sec. 29, E. £and SW. \ 480 

Sec. 30, SE. i 160 

Sec. 31, all 641. 20 

Sec. 32, all 640 

Sec. 33, NW. { 160 

InT. 5N., R. 15 E., M. D. M.: 

Sec. 36, SE. i 160 

InT. 4N., R. 15 E., M. D. M.: 

Sec. 1, NE. i 160 

InT. 4N., R. 16 E., M. D. M.: 

Sec. 6, N.J 320 

Total 3, 041. 20 

For North Grove. 

In T. 5 N., R. 15 E., M. D. M.: Acres. 

Sec. 14, SW. i 160 

Sec. 15, S. \ 320 

Sec. 22, N.i 320 

Sec. 23, NW. \ 130 

Total 960 

In recommending these areas it is intended to control a sufficient area to insure 

Erotection from fire, and for this reason to include the summits of the ridges which 
ound the basins in which the bigtree groves are located. 

The value of the merchantable timber on these tracts, based upon the survey and 
examinations as made, is as follows: 

For South Grove $179,873.18 

For North Grove 30,417.90 

Total 210, 291. 08 

Add clearing at North Grove 875. 00 

Total value 211, 166. 08 










SOUTH CALAVERAS GROVE. CALIFORNIA 

IN TSN.RI6E..M.0M 

■ jjj g A u '" * u — t~ 




NORTH CALAVERAS GROVE. CALIFORNIA 

IN T.5N..R.I5E..M.DM. 



3000 rin 

SO 30 *0 50 60 70 BO CHAINS 



FREO G PIUMMER 
I90S 




o 



